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Two high-ranking officials of the Erie County Democratic Committee have been appointed to the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. board of directors.

WROTB President/Chief Executive Officer Henry Wojtaszek informed The Batavian today that Jennifer Hibit and Crystal Rodriguez-Dabney, secretary and vice chair of the ECDC, respectively, will be joining the board and are expected to attend its next meeting on July 27 at Batavia Downs Gaming.

Hibit will represent Erie County, replacing Francis Warthling, while Rodriguez-Dabney will represent the City of Buffalo, replacing Michelle Parmer-Garner.

Wojtaszek also said that Terrance Baxter, a Republican and current Town of Moravia supervisor, will represent Cayuga County on the board. Baxter replaces Paul Lattimore.

The board was disbanded in May by New York State Assembly and Senate leaders and Gov. Kathy Hochul in response to a proposal by Democratic State Sen. Tim Kennedy of Buffalo to reconfigure the voting method from one municipality/one vote to a weighted system based on population.

As a result, the majority of the 100 votes are in the hands of directors from Erie and Monroe counties and Buffalo and Rochester.

Monroe and Schuyler counties have yet to announce their appointees to the 17-director board.

Hibit spent 11 years as the Chief of Staff for Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz before taking a position as the director of Human Resources last year with the Erie County Water Authority. During her time with Poloncarz’ staff, she served as the campaign manager for his election and re-election campaigns. 

Rodriguez-Dabney, an attorney, recently accepted the position of Senior Vice President & Chief Diversity Officer with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Before that, she served for 15 months as the First Deputy Mayor and Chief of Staff for the City of Buffalo.

Baxter is a Member at Large on the Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District board and is a former Cayuga County legislator.

As previously reported by The Batavian, the other board members are Charles Zambito of Elba (Genesee County), Edward Morgan (Orleans County), Susan May (Wyoming County), Mark Burr (Cattaraugus County), Vincent Horrigan (Chautauqua County), Thomas Wamp (Livingston County), Elliott Winter (Niagara County), Mark Bombardo (Oswego County), Dennis Bassett (Rochester), Richard Ricci (Seneca County), Michael Horton (Steuben County) and Kenneth Lauderdale (Wayne County).

The weighted voting system gives Erie County 24 votes, followed by Monroe County (20), Buffalo (10) and Rochester (eight). Niagara County also has eight votes, while Chautauqua has five; Oswego, four; Steuben, Wayne, Cattaraugus and Cayuga, three each; Livingston and Genesee, two each; Wyoming, Orleans, Seneca and Schuyler, one each. The directors will serve four-year terms.

Russ and Jo Ann Nephew hosted their second classic car and tractor show at their home, 323 State St., Batavia on Sunday afternoon.

About 55 people attended the event, which featured a memorial tribute to car enthusiasts Jeanne Freeman, who lived in Byron, and David Smith, who resided in Pavilion. 

Numerous door prizes were awarded to attendees, who also were treated to lunch.

Photos by Howard Owens except where noted. 

A wide-ranging, cooperative effort is being made at the grassroots level to “HEAL” those afflicted by opioid use disorder and to prevent opioid overdose deaths.

Professionals in the substance use treatment/prevention and mental health fields in Genesee County have been working in conjunction with a research team from Columbia University over the past year to develop and implement evidence-based strategies as part of the HEALing Communities Study.

HEALing refers to Helping to End Addiction Long-term and is the catchphrase of a program launched by the National Institutes of Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The goal is to identify evidence-based programs that are most effective at the local level in preventing and treating opioid use disorder – with a target of reducing opioid-related overdose deaths by 40 percent.

HEALing Genesee is part of the second phase of the HCS, which will run through the spring of 2024. Other counties in this phase include Broome, Chautauqua, Cortland, Monroe, Orange, Sullivan and Yates.

Members of the Columbia University research team, along with officials from the NIH’s Institute on Drug Abuse, came to Batavia last week to meet with the Genesee County Health Department and Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse personnel who have been serving on the county’s implementation team.

“Drug overdose requires a comprehensive approach to first define the breadth of the problem and then to promote harm reduction and evidence-based treatments known to be effective with opioid use disorder,” said Timothy Hunt, PhD, of the Columbia U. School of Social Work, who is the HEALing Communities Study Intervention and Community Engagement Investigative Lead.

“The partnership for the HEALing Communities Study between the Genesee Department of Health and organizations like Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse illustrates a community coming together, even when challenged by the COVID pandemic, to focus on this highly stigmatized public health crisis.”

Hunt applauded the Genesee group for its “commitment to capturing up-to-date data on fatal and non-fatal overdoses thus allowing the community to plan and focus strategies to populations and locations at high risk.”

HEALing Genesee leaders have identified several strategies to reach its goal, including various ways of getting naloxone (brand name Narcan) into as many hands as possible. Naloxone is a medication used to reverse an opioid overdose.

Initiatives include distribution of leave-behind kits by the Batavia City Fire Department, establishing a text-for-naloxone hotline (text KIT to 1-877-535-2461) and placing NaloxBoxes at businesses.

Columbia U. Professor Nabila El-Bassel, HCS principal investigator, said she was impressed with the amount of collaboration in Genesee County.

“The Columbia University team and our funder from the National Institute on Drug Abuse who visited Genesee HCS coalition extend our gratitude for their unwavering commitment to addressing the overdose crisis with a data-driven solutions and improving access to treatment and care for those in need in Genesee,” she said.

“Today, we witnessed the innovation in delivering drug treatment and services with high integrity and responsiveness to community needs.  The success of the Genesee-Orleans-Wyoming Opioid Task Force and HEALing Communities Study is also a testament to the extraordinary power of collaboration that exists.”

Staff from more than a dozen local agencies have collaborated with HEALing Genesee, including professionals from Genesee County Mental Health, Genesee County Department of Social Services, Genesee Justice, VA Medical Center, City of Batavia Fire Department, GCASA, Horizon Health Services, Rochester Regional Health (United Memorial Medical Center, Hope Haven Center and Batavia Primary Care), Oakfield Family Pharmacy, Oak Orchard Health and Lake Plains Community Care Network.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates that 2.1 million Americans have opioid use disorder, yet fewer than 20 percent of those receive specialty care in a given year. New York State has one of the highest rates of opioid overdose deaths in the nation, with Genesee County having one of the highest rates of opioid overdose deaths in New York State.

The county’s opioid overdose death rate peaked at more than 36 deaths per 100,000 in 2017 and was still around 22 deaths per 100,000 in 2022. As a result, Genesee was selected as a HEALing Communities location.

Hunt concluded that HEALing Genesee, by virtue of its evidence-based strategies and robust communication campaigns, and with support from agencies such as GCASA, is on the right track.

“Our HCS partner, GCASA, provides needed care along a continuum of readiness, and is a rare accommodation to needed levels of care which include harm reduction, detox, rehabilitation and outpatient care, including much-needed access to methadone and Buprenorphine,” he stated. 

To learn more about the HEALing Communities Study and to help end overdoses in Genesee County, visit:

-- HEALing Communities Study Website: HealTogetherNY.org/Genesee

-- GOW Opioid Taskforce Website: www.gowopioidtaskforce.org

-- GO Health Facebook: www.facebook.com/GOHealthNY

Disclosure: Mike Pettinella is the publicist for GCASA.

Batavia Downs Gaming rode the Kentucky Derby and Preakness to a record-setting month of May when it comes to credits played by its patrons and net win, according to the chief financial officer of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp.

Jacquelyne Leach, speaking at today’s WROTB board meeting at the Park Road facility, said credits played – the amount of money put into the gaming machines – hit $95,294,821, the most ever during May. Furthermore, the net win – what’s left in the machines after paying out the customers – hit $6,994,850, also a May record.

“From January through May, we’re up $19.1 million or 4.3 percent in credits played from 2022 and up $3.4 million or 11 percent in net win,” Leach reported. “It’s very positive.”

As far as distributions to WROTB’s 17 municipalities, Leach said $1.7 million has been generated during the first two months of the second quarter (April and May).

“We’re waiting on the month of June, which is shaping up to be a very good month, too,” she said. “So, we’ll have distributions over $2 million to our municipalities. That's very healthy. And then year to date, we are over plan by potentially $1.2 million in earnings distributions. Our surcharge distributions, year to date, are $292,000. And that's about 8 percent over plan.”

Leach explained that 49 percent of the net win goes to the New York Gaming Commission for educational purposes and administrative fees. Batavia Downs Gaming keeps 51 percent, and allocates it to the Western New York Harness Horsemen’s Association for purses and the breeders’ fund, to capital projects, debt, marketing, operating expenses and then to municipalities.

Earnings in June are bound to get a boost from the Rockin’ the Downs Summer Concert Series that gets underway Friday night with the Almost Queen tribute band.

The remaining lineup:

June 30 - Get the Led Out (Tribute to Led Zeppelin)

July 7 - Craig Morgan with Drake White

July 14 - Skid Row

July 21 - The Marshall Tucker Band 

July 28 - The Grassroots/ Peter Noone

August 4 - Don Felder (Formerly of The Eagles)

August 11 - Mike Delguidice (Tribute to Billy Joel)

With no one representing the “power block” of Erie and Monroe counties and the City of Buffalo, this morning’s meeting of the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. board of directors was absent of any official business.

Instead, 12 of what in time will be 17 directors received updates on the various WROTB departments and listened on as Henry Wojtaszek, corporation president and chief executive officer, and Dennis Bassett, representing the City of Rochester, discussed the situation surrounding the potential placement of a full casino in the Flower City.

The City of Buffalo, along with the counties of Monroe, Erie, Cayuga and Schuyler, have yet to appoint their board members in light of a New York State-imposed directive to disband the previous board and change the voting parameters from a one-municipality/one-vote format to a weighted system based on population.

Since most of the voting power is in the hands of Buffalo and the two large counties west and east of Genesee, the board today did not have a quorum to conduct any business.

The 12 directors in attendance are holdovers from the previous board, except for Genesee County’s representative, former County Court Judge Charles Zambito. The Genesee County Legislature, in May, appointed Zambito to replace longtime board member Richard Siebert, who resigned after learning of the structural changes.

Speaking to The Batavian after the public portion of the meeting at Batavia Downs Gaming, Zambito said he’s had his eye upon joining the board for quite a while.

“It goes back to maybe part of my background (as) my family has been involved with the horses (harness racing) for years. And I spent time as a kid here -- sitting in the kiddie stands,” Zambito, 71, said. “I think it’s an important asset that we have, not just in Genesee County, but the whole area.

“It’s always been in the back of my mind to serve on the board. When Dick Siebert decided to leave, I’d be interested in doing it.”

When it was mentioned that he was coming in at a crossroads, so to speak, Zambito said, “Yeah, it’s going to be interesting.”

“Well, I’m a little concerned about the changes that were made, I mean. Obviously, it doesn't help Genesee County in the sense of the voting power or lack of power that we have. But you know, it could work. We'll see how it goes,” he said, adding that he found it strange that nobody was there representing all of the municipalities. “It’s not a good situation if you can’t operate as a board.”

Zambito briefly commented on the prospects of legal action by the rural counties which had their voting strength diminished. County Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein has said that Zambito’s legal experience was a factor in his selection.

“I've heard that there that there may be (litigation), but as of now, I'm not part of it,” he said. “So, I don’t know exactly what’s going on. But I think that was from our legislature’s point of view. We’ll see how it goes.”

An Elba native and resident, Zambito was the county attorney for 10 years prior to becoming a judge. He also served on the Genesee County Legislature, was an assistant district attorney and has been a lawyer since 1977.

CEO PROVIDES SENECA NATION UPDATE

Wojtaszek said the state Assembly finished its business for the year on Wednesday night, and lawmakers returned home without considering a bill to extend the gaming compact with the Seneca Nation, which would have included the placement of a casino in Rochester. He bemoaned the fact that negotiations took place by the governor, Senate speaker and Assembly leader without the input of local and regional stakeholders.

“That bill was passed by the Senate, but nobody really knows what’s in it other than some tidbits, such as the Senecas would pay 9.75 (percent in taxes) the first year, and contrast that with what we pay, 49 percent (to the New York Gaming Commission),” Wojtaszek said. “And even over the next 19 years, that would be 19 percent, and contrast that with our 49 percent.”

He said that Batavia Downs joined forces with union employees from Finger Lakes and Del Lago to protest the proposal during a rally in Rochester.

“It would clearly affect our businesses; certainly, reduce the employees that we have here … and, if you think about it, would probably mean the end of Batavia Downs,” he added. “If you lose 50 percent of your jobs, we do have fixed costs here. We put together a really nice package in terms of doing the construction of a hotel. You can't really keep up with that if you're going to lose half of your staff and can't that handle the people that are coming in here.”

Wojtaszek said if and when this issue resurfaces, he hopes that for more transparency in the process – calling for public hearings and an economic analysis, among other things. The current compact with Seneca Nation expires at the end of this year.

He also found it “incredible” that the state Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of the bill (59-4) without knowing all of the details.

“Now, the City of Rochester and the County of Monroe have weighed in – and maybe there are some places in the county – and it certainly seems as though the city is not interested in having it sited … They didn’t see the benefit from it,” he said.

Bassett emphasized the importance of supplying Monroe County and Rochester leaders with accurate data to take the emotional angle out of the picture.

“We have to be really prepared to provide the data,” he said. “I know that Rochester is pushing back because of all the … the elevated amount of crime in Rochester. The last thing we need is a gathering place such as this (but) I’ve got to believe this is years off, it is going to happen at all.

“But I think the leadership in Monroe County and Rochester is more irritated because you're going to do something in my backyard, and you don't tell me that you're coming. That is really the rub. At least, show me the courtesy to say he would like to do this in your home. And what do you think about it? What do your people think about it?

“And having not done that, that brings an emotional issue to it. And I think it's important for us to follow that emotional rub with what the true downside is from a data perspective.”

Along those lines, Wojtaszek said a consulting firm concluded that gaming in upstate New York is “clearly at the point of either saturation or oversaturation.”

A casino in Rochester would have to generate $800 million in “net win” to provide the same amount of money given to the state by Batavia Downs, Del Lago and Finger Lakes, he said.

“We combined for about $350 million to $400 million in net win, and we pay the state about $150 million. In order for them to pay $150 million, they gotta generate $750 to $800 million in net win. Think about that, because they’re only paying 20 percent; we’re paying 49. It's a staggering amount of money. Where are they going to get that from when they're already oversaturated?”

Previously: Assembly puts plan to build casino in Rochester on hold

The Genesee County Spartans outlasted the Ithaca Warriors, 16-12, in Northeastern Football Alliance semipro action Saturday night at Genesee Community College.

After Ithaca scored on an interception in the game's opening minutes, the Spartans took the lead for good with 24 seconds left in the first quarter on a five-yard run by fullback Brandon Bethel and the point-after kick by Marc Montana.

The home team made it 13-6 midway through the second quarter on a 70-yard burst up the middle by Jed Reese, who burst through the line and ran untouched to the end zone.

Montana's 28-yard field goal gave the Spartans a 16-6 lead early in the third quarter. Ithaca scored on a touchdown pass with 1:09 left in the game.

The game was marked by more than a dozen turnovers and at least that many penalties, including several personal fouls (and a couple of ejections) for unsportsmanlike conduct.

For the Spartans, Cody Wenner, Amir Cleveland, Tre Woods, Keith Neureuter and Max Rapone had interceptions, with Rapone's play ending a last-ditch effort by Ithaca in the closing seconds.  Defensive end Gunner Rapone had another outstanding game for Genesee.

The Spartans, 2-1, are home again next Saturday for a 7 p.m. clash against the Broome County Stallions.

Photos by Nick Serrata

A proposal to place a Seneca Nation-owned full casino in the City of Rochester reportedly is on hold.

On Friday, New York Assembly leaders – following a protest in Rochester by unionized gaming workers -- announced that the chamber will not vote on a new 20-year compact between the state and the Seneca Nation despite the Senate’s robust approval of it.

“I believe the Seneca Nation deserves a fair deal. However, the sentiment of the Assembly’s Monroe County delegation, coupled with the potential loss of union jobs, is concerning, and we cannot move forward with a vote on the compact at this time,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie on Twitter.

News of a potential deal to build a casino in Rochester came to light earlier this week, prompting immediate and strong opposition from local government officials, politicians and representatives of Batavia Downs, Hamburg and Finger Lakes gaming facilities.

"The state needs to make sure that they get local input, to make sure they have an economic analysis done relative to siting such a casino in Rochester, period, and we want to make sure we safeguard the jobs that we have at Batavia Downs as well as the money we return to our communities," said Henry Wojtaszek, president and chief executive officer of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp., when contacted this morning.

Assemblyman Steven Hawley made his feelings known on Thursday, stating that the construction of a new casino in the area “would be damaging to the local economy and would jeopardize the more than 400 jobs at Batavia Downs.”

“Local officials and New York lawmakers were also not included in any discussions between the governor and the Seneca Nation,” Hawley added.

In a statement released to the press, Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong Sr. blamed the governor’s office for failing to keep local leaders informed throughout the negotiations.

Calling the Assembly’s decision “despicable,” Armstrong said the Seneca Nation did not impose a non-disclosure agreement despite what Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration had claimed.

A portion of Armstrong’s statement is as follows:

“The blame for keeping Rochester officials out of the loop lays directly at the feet of the Executive. The Executive and the Nation agreed not to negotiate through the press or in public, but contrary to media coverage, the parties never entered into a Non-Disclosure Agreement.

“The Nation regularly consulted our own legislative branch and expected that the Executive was doing the same. The Executive's claim that it was legally barred from communicating with other State officials is simply inaccurate. The Executive was free to communicate with local officials throughout the process on what it was negotiating for and what it agreed to.

“The failure of the Executive to communicate with its own government speaks to the utter disregard the Governor had for this process.”

The state’s gaming compact with the Seneca Nation expires on Dec. 21, leaving the door open for the Senate and Assembly to vote on a revised agreement.

The Genesee County Spartans are in “bounce back” mode heading into Saturday night’s home Northeastern Football Alliance semipro game against the Ithaca Warriors.

Kickoff is set for 7 o’clock at the Genesee Community College field located behind the Richard C. Call Arena.

The Spartans were on the losing end of a 28-0 score last weekend at Lockport, failing to capitalize on a couple of excellent scoring chances in the opening half when they trailed by only 8-0.

“The game wasn’t as lopsided as the score suggests,” Head Coach Harry Rascoe said. “An interception right before the half when we were driving really hurt us, and right after intermission, a fumble thwarted another drive.”

Rascoe said the team was missing a few key players against the Wildcats, but expects them to be back in action on Saturday.

“Tight end Howie Wilson was unable to play due to injury, but he’ll return, as will our captain and standout lineman Adam Hausfelder,” Rascoe added. “We’re revamping the offense a bit to give quarterback Joe Canzoneri more opportunities to showcase his skills.”

Against Lockport, Alex Rood was the signal caller, completing 10 of 20 passes for 75 yards, while Tyler Budzinack, filling in for Wilson, caught six passes for 50 yards. The Spartans couldn’t get the ground game going, however, rushing 20 times for just 46 yards.

On defense, defensive end Gunner Rapone forced a fumble and he and fellow Batavia High graduate Kaden Marucci combined for several tackles.

Admission for this weekend’s game is $5 per person with children under 12 admitted at no charge. The contest has been designated as Dan’s Tire & Auto Night.

Twelve of the 17 people who will represent their counties or cities on the reconfigured Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp.’s board of directors have been appointed with a little more than a week to go before their next scheduled meeting.

WROTB President/Chief Executive Officer Henry Wojtaszek provided the names of the newly appointed directors to The Batavian this morning, noting that the Democratic-leaning municipalities of Erie and Monroe counties and the City of Buffalo have yet to announce their selections.

As previously reported first on The Batavian, Charles Zambito of Elba, former Genesee County Court judge, has been appointed to represent the host county in matters concerning Batavia Downs Gaming, Harness Track, The Hotel at Batavia Downs and the public benefit company’s Off-Track Betting locations.

Zambito was appointed by the Genesee County Legislature on May 24 to replace longtime director Richard Siebert, who stepped down after learning of the significant changes made by the powers-that-be in Albany to the board’s structure and voting format.

Legislation passed by state lawmakers dismantled the board – forcing county governments and executives to appoint new (or reappoint current) directors – and changed the voting procedure from one municipality/one vote to a weighted system based on population.

The change puts the majority of the “power” in the hands of directors from Erie and Monroe counties and Buffalo and Rochester.

Erie County will have 24 votes, followed by Monroe County (20), Buffalo (10) and Rochester (eight). Niagara County also has eight votes, while Chautauqua has five; Oswego, four; Steuben, Wayne, Cattaraugus and Cayuga, three each; Livingston and Genesee, two each; Wyoming, Orleans, Seneca and Schuyler, one each. The directors will serve four-year terms.

Richard Bianchi (Monroe County), who served as board chair for 13 years, was not reappointed to the board. Others not reappointed are Francis Warthling (Erie County), Paul Lattimore (Cayuga County), Philip Barnes (Schuyler County) and Michelle Parmer-Garner (Buffalo).

Lattimore and Barnes had not attended any meetings over the past four years while Parmer-Garner missed the last 18 meetings and many prior to that.

Directors reappointed to the board are Edward Morgan (Orleans County), Susan May (Wyoming County), Mark Burr (Cattaraugus County), Vincent Horrigan (Chautauqua County), Thomas Wamp (Livingston County), Elliott Winter (Niagara County), Mark Bombardo (Oswego County), Dennis Bassett (Rochester), Richard Ricci (Seneca County), Michael Horton (Steuben County) and Kenneth Lauderdale (Wayne County).

When asked if a chair and vice chair would be elected at the next board meeting on June 22, Wojtaszek said it depends upon if there is a quorum (which, again, is subjected to weighted voting). Morgan was the vice chair of the previous board.

Previously: County legislature chair on WROTB changes: 'Completely unfair, totally unnecessary'

A potential deal between the state and the Seneca Nation to place a full casino in the City of Rochester would devastate the operation of Batavia Downs Gaming and two other established gaming facilities in Western New York.

That’s the stated view of Henry Wojtaszek, chief executive officer and president of Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp., the public benefit company that operates Batavia Downs Gaming.

“The latest scheme by the Senecas and some New York State government officials to place a stealth casino in the Rochester area should be a non-starter for residents, community leaders and elected officials," Wojtaszek said in a statement issued this afternoon.

“Many of the more than 400 jobs here at Batavia Downs would be in jeopardy if a Rochester area casino opened, and the millions of dollars in revenue we send to 15 counties and the cities of Buffalo and Rochester would be drastically cut. There are already 10 gaming facilities less than 100 miles in any direction from Rochester; that’s the definition of saturation.”

According to published reports, the new 20-year agreement forged by the New York State Senate and Gov. Kathy Hochul with the Senecas apparently includes a casino in Rochester. Over the weekend, the Senate voted 62-1 to ratify the pact; the Assembly has yet to vote on it.

In his statement, Wojtaszek indicated that the three Video Lottery Terminal facilities of Batavia Downs, Finger Lakes Gaming and Hamburg Gaming paid $140 million in combined taxes to the state last year (and) “that is more than the Senecas did.”

“What is the point of putting yet another facility in the region? No major decision like this should ever be made without robust public input and a comprehensive economic impact analysis.  When you see this type of secret top-down governing from our elected officials, it is fair to question their motives and who they are really serving.

“We’ve seen this tried before, and the ending should be the same as the previous two failed attempts to open a casino in the Rochester area.”

Genesee County Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein, contacted by The Batavian tonight, was quick to point out that any casino within 30 miles or so away “would really be a big blow (to Batavia Downs).”

“What’s really unfortunate here is that there are no details,” she said. “The last thing I read was there was a conceptual agreement, but nobody had been able to see what the concept was.”

When it was mentioned that recent changes to the structure of the WROTB board of directors also came with no advance notice to municipal leaders, Stein added that “it seems like we’re in a vacuum constantly – by our one-party rule in Albany and it’s not working well for Genesee County.”

Stein said she and county officials are “frustrated” by the lack of information coming out of Albany and the lack of input by local governments.

“Not to have a plan that is laid out so that we all can participate in … because we’re in, I understand that we’re in that Seneca compact area,” she said. “This new plan, if it’s known to be that it will be in Rochester, will not benefit the public as Batavia Downs does.”

She also noted that rural counties are exploring litigation to stop the changes made by Albany to switch from a one-county/city, one-vote format to a weighted voting format for the WROTB board, effectively transferring power to the Democratic-leaning Erie and Monroe Counties and cities of Rochester and Buffalo.

She did not comment when asked about a conflict of interest situation involving Rochester and Monroe County representatives to the WROTB board (if and when a casino was placed in Rochester), preferring to wait until she learned more about the Seneca compact.

Democrat Jeremy Cooney (the City of Rochester, the Town of Brighton, and the western suburbs of Monroe County) was the lone senator to vote against the measure.

“I have concerns with the announced deal between New York State and the Seneca Nation,” Cooney said in a news release and reported by The Rochester Business Journal. “As a state senator, I did not feel comfortable voting in favor of legislation that removes state lawmakers from their oversight responsibilities and limits input from the public.”

The fledgling Genesee County Spartans defeated the New York Falcons, 13-0, in non-league semipro football action Saturday afternoon at Genesee Community College.

Head Coach Harry Rascoe’s squad shook off a sluggish first half as quarterback Alex Rood and halfback Jed Reese ran for touchdowns after intermission to turn back the Buffalo-based Falcons, who compete in the Gridiron Developmental Football League.

It was the first official game of the season for the Spartans, a member of the Northeastern Football Alliance.

“We had a couple of opportunities in the first half but kept on pounding the ball on the ground to finally take control,” Rascoe said, noting that the quartet of Rood, Reese, Rob Williams Jr. and Brandon Bethel combined for 200 yards rushing.

Rood scored on a 10-yard run in the third quarter and Reese capped a long drive with a five-yard scamper in the fourth quarter. Marc Montana kicked the point after touchdown after Rood’s score but missed the second attempt under windy conditions.

In the first half, the Spartans threatened early in the second quarter, using runs by Reese, Rood, Williams and Bethel to get to the Falcons’ 20 before an interception thwarted that drive. With about five minutes left, the home team advanced to the Falcons’ 2 but failed to capitalize.

“We were in the red zone four or five times and came up short; that’s something we definitely need to work on,” Rascoe said. “But our defense, behind (defensive ends) Gunner Rapone and T.J. Henderson dominated.”

Rapone was a force throughout, recording numerous tackles and combining with Henderson for four sacks. Defensive backs Brooks Boyle and Tre Woods each had an interception.

An enthusiastic crowd of about 600 turned out for the “Iron Reps Gym Game” at GCC’s new field, which is located behind the Richard C. Call Arena.

“On behalf of the players, a special thanks to all the fans who attended,” Rascoe said. “It really means a lot to see all the community support.”

The Spartans return to action at 7 p.m. next Saturday at Lockport.  The next home game (all home games are at GCC) is at 7 p.m. June 17 against Ithaca.

For more photos: https://www.facebook.com/JimBurnsSports

With a renewed emphasis on health and wellness, the administration at Genesee Community College is confident that a two-year grant to provide alcohol and drug prevention services through Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse will make a positive difference in students’ lives.

“In recent months, especially since COVID, we’ve put a lot of energy into opening a new wellness office,” GCC Dean of Students Patty Chaya said. “And the health and safety of our students has always been a main priority. This collaboration with GCASA is going to be really great, and it’s coming at a perfect time to build our wellness program.”

Chaya recently learned that GCASA received the grant – about $98,000 annually for two years – from the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports. It will enable GCASA to hire one full-time and one half-time prevention educator to work at GCC.

OASAS has awarded several of these College Prevention Initiative grants to State University of New York or City University of New York community colleges, utilizing federal funding relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Rescue Plan Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act.

The purpose is to implement evidence-based practices and strategies, including individual and family-focused programs and/or community-level environmental change strategies to prevent or reduce substance misuse.

Shannon Ford, director of Prevention at GCASA, wrote the Request for Funding proposal, which then was submitted to OASAS for approval. She said her agency and GCC have been seeking a way to collaborate and provide prevention services for the past several years.

“We’re pleased to be able to provide services at the college and are in the process of accepting resumes for the educator positions,” Ford said. “Our plan is to use the BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students) and CASICS (Brief Cannabis Screening and Intervention for College Students) evidence-based programs, both of which have produced successful outcomes.”

The two prevention educators will work out of an office in the Dean of Students area on the second floor of the campus’ main building, Chaya said, adding that they will work closely with the college’s wellness specialist, Meghan Bernard.

“Actually, we have a number of offices that will be working together with these new hires,” she said. “One is our College Village residence halls -- our population down there.

“I find that I meet with a lot of those students in my office for infractions. And having them meet with one of these GCASA counselors as a sanction may be really helpful, even though they don't think so all the time. It may help them get back on their feet.”

Chaya acknowledged that there could be underlying factors that lead to students’ use of drugs and alcohol, and that’s where the wellness piece comes in.

“Some of the things that we are looking to work on is peer pressure, lack of connection the students have, disabilities, food insecurity, mental health concerns, poverty or lack of financial resources, lack of resources due to their rural location and a family history of substance abuse,” she said. “Maybe they're struggling with parents getting divorced or a breakup of a relationship. And they really could use some counseling.

“So, in addition, we'll provide them counseling and we'll also provide them some sort of assessments for their substance use and hopefully get them back on their feet again. I mean, this is not just a problem with GCC; it's very widely spread across the United States.”

Substance misuse can have lasting consequences for college students, including poor academic performance, assaults, injury and increased risk of developing substance use disorder.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2019, almost 53 percent of full-time college students ages 18 to 22 drank alcohol in the past month and about 33 percent engaged in binge drinking during that same time frame.

“Family history and other risk factors, such as peer approval and perception of harm, can lead to problems with drugs and alcohol,” Ford said. “Having this grant gives us a unique opportunity to reach young adults with specific, age- and culturally-appropriate prevention approaches.”

Chaya emphasized that GCC Campus Safety will play a role in the program.

“My hope is that we can provide some training for campus safety personnel as well as other people on campus, such as the wellness office and my office in the Dean of Students and the Human Services program -- and just provide training for the staff so we can sustain the benefits of the grant. By doing this, when it ends in two years, we can keep it going,” she said.

She said it’s all about giving students “a second chance” to reach their potential.

“Students want to meet their goals, but sometimes peer pressure or their use of some of these substances may affect their attendance at class,” she observed. “They may actually go to class high and they don't remember what was said in class. And they have a greater likelihood of probably getting in trouble around here. We don't want to see that. We have a very safe campus, and we want that to continue.”

The outreach will include GCC students receiving services through the college’s Educational Opportunity Program and the Adult Education Opportunity Center, Chaya noted.

“We also have – which sometimes people forget – online learning. And just because somebody is an online learner, as long as they're GCC students, they can use our services,” she added. “They may also need the assistance of counseling or alcohol and drug counseling. Because after COVID, these are people that sometimes were home and smoking weed or drinking, and we need to figure out how they can get back to living a great life and doing well with their academics.”

Chaya said the BASICS and CASICS programs are vital to identifying the risk factors and providing avenues to deal with the issues that are hurting their academic and social progress.

“Sometimes, when they’re using, there’s a lack of motivation that leads to low grades, and many times they don’t believe that their excessive use of substances can lead to a substance use disorder,” she said.

A concentrated effort will be placed upon students living at the College Village on-campus residence halls.

“Students smoke marijuana in their rooms in the residence halls and don’t want the fire alarm detector to go off, so, they cover their fire alarm fire detector, which is a big no, no,” Chaya said. “And some are suspended because of this and lose their housing privileges because it’s putting everyone at risk.”

For more information about the grant or to apply for the prevention educator positions, contact Ford at sford@gcasa.org.

Disclosure: Mike Pettinella is the publicist for GCASA.

The Oakfield Hotel and Bowling Lanes has new owners.

Batavians Tom Fluker, a Pepsi account executive, and Patrick Wester, owner of A to Z General Contracting, have teamed up

 to purchase the bar/restaurant and 12-lane bowling center.

The facility had been owned since 2019 by Cory Paris, also a Batavia resident.

Prior to that, the Scopano family owned the business – known as the Oakfield Hotel and Scopano’s Paradise Lanes -- for more than 50 years.

Speaking by telephone to The Batavian this morning, Fluker indicated the duo has an ambitious plan to increase the entertainment options at the South Pearl Street location.

“We’ve got a lot of ideas. There’s really five aspects to the place,” Fluker said, rattling off the following areas that need to be addressed – rooms for rent, outdoor pavilion, bowling lanes, interior renovation and the bar/restaurant.

He said there are eight one-bedroom apartments, plus a loft and a two-bedroom unit upstairs.

“Over the course of time, we want to keep the loft and the two bedroom and then we want to take the eight apartments and make two or three one-bedroom apartments and have some for office space,” he said. “We’d like to rent out some office space for meetings, or maybe a lawyer or somebody wants to come in.”

Fluker said he and Wester eventually want to utilize the huge outdoor pavilion for summer activities such as horseshoes, volleyball and cornhole.

“The biggest issue is there is such a big walk from outside to go inside to get beer and food or whatever. So, we're going to put some coolers and some grills outside for the players to have quick access to their drinks and for something to eat,” he said.

Bowling has always been a large part of the operation, but there haven’t been any certified leagues there recently. Fluker said that he and Wester aim to rectify that situation.

“We’re going to go through the lanes – pinsetters, scoring and the oil machine – to make sure that things are running the way they need to be to have league bowling,” he noted. “We’re looking at this in three phases, over the next three to four years, with the goal of making it a high-end bowling center.”

He said they are looking at upgrading the scoring, adding flat screens, purchasing glow house balls and installing black lights and specialty lighting for cosmic bowling on the weekends or for birthday parties. Fluker, who served as president of the Genesee Region USBC for several years, said he also wants to restore the youth bowling program in Oakfield.

Once up and running, the lanes will be called Strike Force Lanes, he said.

As far as the bar and restaurant are concerned, Fluker said they are looking at a train theme, tipping their cap to the history of the railroad that ran near to the building.

“If I’m looking at the picture correctly, the railroad ran about 40 to 50 feet away from the building, and I think across the road, kind of diagonally, was the West Shore (Railroad) depot,” he offered. “I’ve been getting some West Shore memorabilia and will also incorporate some old pictures from the Oakfield Hotel from back in the day. And, for sure, we’ll be adding some lighting and getting rid of the taxidermy that has been there forever.:”

Fluker said the kitchen will be remodeled to increase efficiency and TVs will be added in the restaurant area, which eventually will take on a sports theme. The partners also are looking to add about 20 arcade games, separate from the bar area, and will keep the big room off of the bar for extra seating and for larger gatherings.

“We’re going to get in there in July and take a look at the situation,” he said. “Get into the walls and ceiling to see what’s going on. Obviously, we’re going to take a look at the roof over the bowling lanes. If you don’t have a (solid) roof, you don’t have bowling. Plus, we're going to make it handicapped accessible."

The business is currently closed.

A May 19 entry on the Paris Oakfield Hotel Facebook page read as follows:

As many of you have heard we have sold the hotel. We as a family have decided this was in our best interest. We would like to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts who have supported us these last five years. We will miss all of our regulars and all the relationships that were built. We appreciated the opportunity of being a part of this community. We wish the new owners nothing but the best!

Our last day open will be tomorrow 5/20, come on down for one last drink at the Paris Oakfield Hotel! 

Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse officials on Wednesday afternoon honored six “friends” of the nonprofit agency and five GCASA Foundation scholarship award winners at their annual meeting at Terry Hills Restaurant.

Friends of GCASA awards went to the City of Batavia Fire Department, Orleans County Sheriff’s Deputy Matt Prawel, Patrick Cecere, Heather Jackson, Mercy Flight EMS and the United Memorial Medical Center MOMS Program.

Scholarship recipients for 2023 are Carly Cerasani, Arianna Hale, Valerie Pastore, Lauren Reimer and Lilly LeTourneau. They each received $1,000 for enrolling in fields relating to human services and/or social services.

FRIENDS OF GCASA

-- City of Batavia Fire Department was recognized for its role in becoming the first Public Safety Assisted Addiction & Recovery Initiative fire department in New York State. It is one of only a few fire companies in the United States to take part in PAARI, which enables people struggling with substance use to reach out to police and fire department personnel for help, without fear of arrest.

-- Deputy Matt Prawel, a school resource officer for the Albion Central School District, developed a fentanyl awareness presentation to fifth through 12^th graders, which includes a video about the deadly drug for families to view. He also is a leading member of the school’s prom awareness committee, and is committed to delivering the message of making safe and healthy choices.

-- Patrick Cecere works at the Genesee County Public Defender’s Office as a social worker/case manager. He consistently has assisted clients of GCASA as they navigate the legal system, advocating for all with fairness, professionalism and compassion.

-- Heather Jackson, an Orleans County Social Services caseworker and former probation officer, has worked collaboratively with GCASA counselors in various areas, notably assisting with patient-centered treatment plans and through programs that provide essential services to youth clients of GCASA. She also chairs Orleans County’s National Night Out, an event that brings law enforcement and community groups together in an alcohol- and drug-free setting.

-- Mercy Flight EMS, with its operations center on Call Parkway, Batavia, has been called on upon more frequently as GCASA’s medical needs have increased since the inception of its detoxification program, and was recognized for the “kind and respectful way in which personnel has interacted with clients.” Mercy Flight EMS staff also were commended for listening to GCASA’s clinical recommendations, especially when it comes to transporting individuals to other facilities.

-- The UMMC Moms Program, specifically Megan Boring and Jay Balduf, has partnered with the Health Moms/Healthy Babies initiative at GCASA. Boring and Balduf were honored for making themselves available to serve GCASA clients as a referral source to those who have yet to receive support for their substance use disorder. Boring has made great strides through her coordinator role of the Prenatal Task Force in Batavia, while Balduf shared her wealth of experience as a registered nurse and maternal health educator at UMMC Healthy Living.

FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS

-- Carly Cerasani, a 2023 graduate of Pembroke High School, who is considering attending Brown University in the fall to study Psychology, with a long-term goal of obtaining a doctorate degree. She aspires to improving others’ lives, especially children.

-- Arianna Hale, a 2023 graduate of Pembroke High School, will be attending Genesee Community College in the fall to study Humanities and Social Science, with plans to go on from there to earn a degree in Psychology.  She said that she wants to focus her energies on people who need care and support.

-- Valerie Pastore, a 2023 graduate of Byron-Bergen High School, plans to attend Alfred University in the fall to study Psychology. She seeks to work in the healthcare field, with an eye on helping people through research.

-- Lauren Reimer, a 2023 graduate of Batavia High, will be receiving her associate’s degree from Genesee Community College this spring through advanced placement credits. Her future college plans are to be determined, but she plans to study Biomedical Sciences.

-- Lilly LeTourneau graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at New Paltz and currently is enrolled in the New York State Fellowship Program through the Genesee & Orleans Health Department. She has assisted in a project with Genesee County Mental Health to assess the impact of COVID-19 on mental health services. She is pursuing a master’s degree in social work from the University of Buffalo.

GCASA BOARD ELECTIONS

Lynn Strzelecki and Bradley Mazur were elected as new members of the GCASA Board of Directors while President Tim Batzel and directors Jackie Dunham and Pattie Kepner were re-elected. All terms are three years.

Strzelecki is a previous GCASA director while Mazur, the Genesee County undersheriff, joins for the first time. Mazur is the chair of the Genesee County Stop DWI Advisory Council.

Batzel, Vice President Katie Cotter and Secretary-Treasurer Fred Rarick were re-elected.

YEAR IN REVIEW

In 2022, GCASA prevention educators provided services to more than 36,000 youth and adults, with the WNY Prevention Resource Center providing 18 trainings to nearly 500 people. The GOW Opioid Task Force lists 460 active members, with many of them trained in the administration of Naloxone, a medication that reverses opioid overdoses.

On the clinical side, GCASA opened a 16-bed detox center in Batavia in early 2022. Medication programs now serve more than 300 individuals in two locations, with clinical visits topping 21,000 last year. The Genesee Opioid Treatment Program and outpatient clinic were awarded an integrated certification to create a seamless program for outpatient services.

Disclosure: Mike Pettinella is the publicist for GCASA.

The Genesee County Republican Committee is recommending that former County Court judge Charles Zambito fill the vacant position on the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. board of directors.

In a unanimous vote at a meeting last week, the committee acted to submit Zambito’s name for consideration by the Genesee County Legislature.

The process now is for the Genesee County Legislature to vote on a resolution supporting the recommendation at this Wednesday’s meeting at the Old County Courthouse.

Republican Committee Chair Richard Siebert said Zambito’s background as an attorney was a key factor in the recommendation.

Fred Gundell of Batavia also had expressed his interest in serving on the WROTB board, which was disbanded earlier this month per adoption of a bill calling for a restructuring and change to a weighted voting system.

“Chuck was unanimous in what has to do with his background as an attorney, and possibility of litigation that might be taking place in regard to our county having only two votes out of 100 with this new weighted voting format,” Siebert said. “That’s a big issue in Genesee County as we have the casino right here.

“I believe that eventually they're going to try to pursue some sort of court action to try to rectify that. But right now, I think the main thing was Chuck's background (Zambito also served as the acting Supreme Court justice) and the fact his legal experience could help Genesee County rectify some of these wrongs.”

Siebert resigned from the board after learning of the announcement out of Albany that the board was being restructured.

The move has been criticized by local politicians on the Republican side as being a “political power grab” to transfer power to the Democrat-leaning population centers of Erie and Monroe counties and the cities of Buffalo and Rochester.

Previously: County Republicans to interview pair interested in filling WROTB board of directors post